Personal Watercraft Insurance

There are few things more fun than riding around on a Jet Ski or water scooter. With that fun, however, comes certain dangers. Purchasing personal watercraft (PWC) insurance can help protect you from the financial risks involved with these activities.

Unlike car insurance, which is required in almost all states, PWC insurance is optional. However, riding a PWC is inherently risky and purchasing it can save your finances in the event of an accident.

Personal Watercraft Insurance Coverages

Personal watercraft insurance providers offer several types of coverage for your personal watercraft. Having several options makes it easy for you to customize your PWC insurance policy to fill your needs.

Typical PWC insurance coverages include:

Liability – This will help you with costs you are responsible for in case someone is hurt or their property is damaged due to an accident you caused.

Collision – If your PWC is damaged due to a collision, this coverage will help pay for repairs or replacement (up to your PWC’s current estimated value).

Comprehensive – This coverage will help with repairs or replacement if your personal watercraft if damaged due to most incidents not involving a collision, such as vandalism.

Total loss replacement purchase price – Some companies offer this coverage to replace your PWC up to the price you originally paid for it if it is damaged beyond reasonable repair.

On-water towing and labor – If your personal watercraft breaks down on the water, this coverage will help pay for costs to tow it out of the water or get it to running condition on the water.

Medical payments – If you are hurt in an accident, this coverage can help with medical costs related to your injuries.

Exclusions

Because personal watercrafts are primarily used for recreation, they face risks that some insurance companies are not willing to cover.

You may have difficulty collecting on a PWC insurance claim if:

You were operating your PWC after dark.

You were operating your PWC without a valid driver’s license.

Your PWC has been modified for speed.

Types of Personal Watercrafts

Personal watercrafts are primarily divided into 2 categories, which include:

Stand-up personal watercrafts – These are made for one rider who stands or kneels on the watercraft while operating it.

Sit-down PWCs – These are typically made for one or two riders who sit while in operation.

Purchasing PWC Insurance

Personal watercraft insurance is available from most insurance companies who offer boat insurance.

If you already have boat insurance, you can often have your PWC insurance added on to your boat insurance policy.

If you don’t own a boat and are looking only for PWC insurance, shopping online can go a long way towards getting you a great policy at a great price. Several providers allow you to get PWC insurance quotes online.

Try to compare at least 3 different quotes to help ensure you get the policy you want at the price you want to pay.

It is worth noting that several companies who offer PWC insurance also sell other types of insurance, including homeowners and car insurance. Most insurance companies will offer discounts for combining these into one insurance bundle.

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